It’s the beginning of a new year, and a brand new decade. Typically the time of year when people pledge to make New Year’s resolutions, the beginning of January offers fresh opportunities to become a healthier, better version of yourself.

It’s important, though, to be confident within yourself before you make any changes. You’ll be much more likely to stick with your goals if you aim to enhance your personal qualities, rather than completely transform them.

So, how can you become an even better version of yourself in 2020?

Try spending more time outdoors

Many of us forget to venture outdoors and surround ourselves with the beauty of nature. It’s something we’re naturally wired to do, but habits of modern society have made indoor environments all too tempting.

However, exposure to fresh air and wildlife has shown to reduce stress and anxiety levels, offering us an instant mood boost and working to regulate our natural circadian rhythms. This means that we can stay in tune with life’s clock; we’ll feel awake and energised in the day time, and become tired as the sun sets.

Our increased exposure to screens, though, threatens to interrupt our sleep cycle. So, try spending a little less time on your electronics and take a stroll outside. Notice the sights, sounds and smells that surround you – many of which have incredible healing properties.

Spend time reading/listening to novels

Reading and/or listening to novels has shown to be a highly beneficial pastime. Known to vastly improve mental health, novels take us away to somewhere different – whether that’s a fictional land, or a different part of the world. We can forget where we are for a few moments, and let our imaginations take over. Furthermore, reading has been linked to an improved memory, boosted mental stimulation and reduced stress levels.

Audiobooks have gained particular traction recently, and are particularly ideal for those who like to travel, or those who may struggle to read.

Give back to others and your community

In the busy lives many of us lead, it can be easy to forget to give back to the people who give so much to you, and the world itself. Helping others is often something that instills a strong sense of self esteem, whilst making a positive contribution to those that matter most. In your spare time, perhaps use your gardening hobby to help a friend out – or, offer to babysit for your next door neighbours.

Learn something new each day

It can be difficult to summon the energy to continue learning when we don’t necessarily need to. However, our brains are constantly growing and evolving, and learning offers it the nutrients it needs to become healthier and stronger.

Whether you choose to learn by reading books, browsing the internet or taking up a new hobby, expanding our knowledge and broadening our horizons each day offers a whole host of benefits. It offers us a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life, and works to stimulate our brains, boosting cognitive activity. And in the long term, this has shown to reduce the risk of a number of health conditions.

From something as small as learning a new word, to picking up a new pastime, the nature of your activity really doesn’t matter – you’ll begin to notice an improvement in your creative abilities soon enough.

Be more mindful

Mindfulness, as a practice, has become increasingly popular over the last few years. It’s been shown to reduce anxiety and stress levels, and improve sleep patterns – something many of us value in today’s busy society.

Mindfulness is commonly integrated within daily life, focusing on the breath and appreciating the present moment. It’s a state of mind that can be adopted on your daily walk, during your meditation practice, or when you’re brushing your hair.

Focusing on the present and letting go of negative thoughts helps us to look at life through more positive eyes, making seemingly stressful curveballs easier to cope with.

Adopting just one of the above lifestyle changes can help you to become a better version of yourself as we enter a new decade. What are your New Year’s resolutions?